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Questions linger in ex-deputy's death

Within the span of one week, Ramon "Charley" Armendariz was arrested, resigned from his position and faced at least four encounters with law enforcement. The series of events has left those close to him wondering how a seemingly predictable tragedy wasn't avoided.

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Questions linger in ex-deputy's death

The former Maricopa County sheriff's deputy who has engaged in a series of standoffs with law enforcement in the last week again drew a response from sheriff's deputies after he refused to answer the door to his home on Thursday afternoon.

Before Ramon "Charley" Armendariz was found dead in his home, but after he made suicidal threats during a standoff with police, the former Maricopa County sheriff's deputy was evaluated and released from a psychiatric-care facility, court documents show.

Within the span of one week, Armendariz was arrested, resigned from his position and faced at least four encounters with law enforcement. The series of events has left those close to him wondering how a seemingly predictable tragedy wasn't avoided.

Friend Brenda Parks said she and Armendariz's neighbors are devastated and infuriated.

"Why would you ­arrest someone who was suicidal, and then let them loose on their own?" Parks said. "He said several times that he just wanted somebody to help him."

Armendariz was reportedly suicidal last Sunday evening, when he barricaded himself inside his home.

The standoff ended peacefully early Monday, and he was taken to a psychiatric-care center before being booked into a Maricopa County jail on suspicion of drug charges.

He was released from jail Tuesday on the condition that he wear an electronic monitor.

Armendariz failed to retrieve his monitor on Wednesday, prompting officials to return to his north Phoenix home on Thursday to serve an arrest warrant, which was when Armendariz's body was discovered. He is believed to have hanged himself.

Parks said her parents live across the street from Armendariz, whom she bonded with through their shared service in the U.S. Marines.

Parks described ­Armendariz as good- ­natured, friendly and respectful, always ready to invite others into his home. She said she and other neighbors feel the Sheriff's Office and counselors should have done more to ensure ­Armendariz got professional help.

"They left him alone, and he was crying out," she said.

Dr. Robert Williamson, chief medical officer for the Urgent Psychiatric Care Center, would not speak about Armendariz's case, but said that, in general, psychiatric providers have up to 23 hours to complete an evaluation to either begin the commitment process or to release a patient.

That psychiatric evaluation usually includes a face-to-face interview, drug screening, possibly a blood-alcohol analysis, and additionally includes collateral information provided from others who witnessed the person's patient's behavior.

Williamson said about half of all emergent-petitions emergent petitions patients are released after the 23 hours.

"Holding somebody against their will is a big deal," he said. "We have to weigh those risk factors against individual rights."